I’m Brian Hall, Assistant Professor of Psychology, and This is How I Work

I am Director of the Global and Community Mental Health Research Group, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macau (SAR), China. I’m also a Visiting Professor at the Sun Yat-sen University School of Public Health, Center for Migrant Health Policy, in Guangzhou, China, and a Research Associate, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, USA.

My primary goal is to engage in community participatory research to improve the health of marginalized populations. Currently my research program is focused on the determinants of poor health and mental health among South East Asian (e.g., Filipino and Indonesian) domestic workers in Macau and Hong Kong. I’m also studying the epidemiology of common mental disorders, local idioms of distress, and traumatic stressors among Chinese adults and older adults. Finally, I’m engaged in developing and adapting scalable community interventions for populations experiencing adversity (e.g., poverty, trauma).

Location: Macau (SAR), People’s Republic of China

Current Gig: Assistant Professor of Psychology

One word/phrase that describes your work style: Driven

Current computer/mobile device: Macbook 13inch, iMac, iPhone 6s

What apps/tools/software can you not live without?

Word, STATA, Nvivo, Asana, Dropbox

What’s your best time-saving shortcut or life hack?

I add the cream in my cup before I pour the coffee.

What’s your workspace set up like? (see photo)

I have an iMac with a linked Apple Thunderbolt monitor, placed on an extensible arm, which facilitates data meetings.

How do you keep track of things you need to do (any to-do-list apps)?

I use a combination of Gmail, Google Calendar, Excel, and Asana. I use Asana to schedule most of my work and assign tasks to my research group. The online app also allows people to assign things to me.

Besides your phone or computer, what gadget can’t you live without, and why?

South China is humid most of the year, and in summer the temperature can reach 100 degrees with nearly 100% humidity – so I cannot live without an air-conditioner.

What everyday thing can you do better than most people? What’s your secret?

I balance a diverse research portfolio and manage to keep projects moving forward. I also take a fair and balanced approach to mentoring my students and strive to be productive while creating a healthy and positive environment for my team. I’m patient.

What do you listen to while you work?

I recently rediscovered Sia. Otherwise it’s a wide range. For example, I listened to Crass while conducting a journal review last week.

What are you currently reading?

My students’ papers and many research articles.

How do you recharge?

I really enjoy travelling. Taking even a short trip can help relax and refocus. Otherwise, I work out 6-days per week and being consistent with this is absolutely essential to improve mood and maintain heath.

What’s your sleep routine like?

Try to get at least 8 hours per night, but usually settle for about 6.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“Select an area that’s important to you and attack it with laser focus.”